| Kerry McCluggage | |
| Birth Date: | 29 November 1954 |
| Occupation: | Motion picture producer, Film industry executive |
| Years Active: | 1975–present |
| Alma Mater: | University of Southern California |
Kerry McCluggage (born November 29, 1954) is an American television and film production executive who developed and produced such iconic shows as Miami Vice, Cheers , and Law & Order. He served as President of Universal Television for about 10 years in the 1980s, then became Chairman of Paramount Television Group in the 1990s for a similar period.[1] He was a co-founder of United Paramount Network (UPN). In 2002, he formed an independent production company, Craftsman Films, developing motion picture and television content.[2]
At the University of Southern California, McCluggage studied broadcasting and film and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He later gained his MBA at the Harvard Business School, graduating in 1978. He currently serves on the Sigma Chi Foundation Board of Governors.[3]
He began his career in 1978 at Universal Television as a programming assistant. He was promoted to senior vice-president, creative affairs, where he oversaw development and production for Magnum, P.I., The Equalizer, Murder, She Wrote, The A-Team and Miami Vice. He moved up to president of Universal TV and subsequently developed such shows as “Quantum Leap,” “Law & Order,” “Northern Exposure,” “Coach” and “Major Dad.”
At Paramount Television, he oversaw the development and launch of programs such as Cheers , its spinoff Frasier , the Star Trek franchise, Entertainment Tonight , The Arsenio Hall Show , Judge Judy , Judge Joe Brown and Judge Mills Lane .[4] In just over a decade, he is credited for growing Paramount TV from $700 million in value to $3.2 billion.[5] He was a co-founder of United Paramount Network (UPN).[6] The UPN channel was home to and the sitcom, Moesha.[5] From mid-2018 until the end of 2018, McCluggage stepped in as CEO of IDW Media Holdings (Idea and Design Works), a subdivision of IDW Publishing, temporarily replacing its founder, Ted Adams, who was on sabbatical.[5]
McCluggage has developed and supervised many television series including: The A-Team, Coach, Deadwood, The Equalizer, Frasier, JAG, Northern Exposure, Law & Order, Miami Vice, Murder She Wrote, Knight Rider, Quantum Leap, Cheers, and Entertainment Tonight.[1]
While an executive at Universal Pictures, he also worked on The Breakfast Club, Out of Africa and Cocktail.